Automatic control device for electric contacts



June 26, 1945. w. L. STUBBINS 2,379,197

AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CONTACT Filed April 7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 OOOQOO s:;:; O

in we I? for June 26, 1945. w. L. STUBBINS 2,379,197

' AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CONTACT Filed April 7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lflvg f WWg I v Patented June 26, 1945 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE,

AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CONTACTS I William L. Stubbins, Toronto, Ontario, (antes Application April 77, 1944, Serial No. 530,059

8 Claims.

ual control units.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the novel construction of individual control units for making and breaking electric circuits to individual lamps or electric contacts wherein each unit is formed of a unitary block or strip of electrical insulating material having a cavity therein closed by a flexible diaphragm which is adapted to engage and operate aflexible spring contact to engage a fixed contact secured in said block, the cavity being connected through a tubular member with one of a plurality of orifices in a bar, a plurality of said bars being arranged to form one side of a vacuum chamber and forming a tracker bar over which a perforated sheet 'is adapted to travel. Individual" spring contact members are mounted in individual bjarsarranged to close the opposite side of said vacuum chamspring contacts engaging electrical contact members mounted in the pneumatic unit.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a part sectional perspective view of a portion of a control mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical mid-section taken through one of the individual pneumatic control units and the contact bar therefor and the engaging electrical spring contact.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the automatic spring contact 'members separated from its supporting bar and electrical contact. I

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on'the line 44 of Figure 2. t

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line B-6 of Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a miniature plan of a display sign illustrating the arrangement of individual lights thereon to be controlled by the control mechanism hereinafter described. v I

Figure 8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectiona view of a modified form of pneumatic control unit.

In the operation of the flash or moving type of electric display many different forms of mechanisms operated pneumatically and controlled by 'a perforated paper strip or roll have been proi posed.

into the bars 3.

' The present invention relates to an improved construction of such control mechanism applicable for general use;

'- In the construction herein illustrated a cabinet or casing is formed with 'a pair of side panels I. These are 'providedwith longitudinally arranged angle flanges 2 spaced from the top. A plurality of bars.3,"wh'ich may be formed of a plastic, such as Lucite or any other suitable electric no'n-' thelongitudinal'edges 6, between which the perforated paper 'strip'l' mounted on suitable rollers at opposite ends of the" casing is adapted-to ride.

Each'of the'b'ars 3'is formed with a'plurality of vertical'o'rifices 8 formed to receive the head end 9 of atubular screw I0. The bottom of the head of the-screw engages the counterbore'd portion of the orifice.

A metal bar I I is arranged underneath each of the"bars 3' and this bar is secured at the end against the underside of the sheet 4 by rods 12 which have threaded ends extending through'the metal bar II and the sheet '4 and are threaded Threaded onto the lower ends of each of the tubular screws ID is a bar I3 preferably rectangular in cross section and of the same width as the bar 3; The member'l3'is formed with an angular notchjreces's Min one face thereof. The upper portion of the bar is formed with a narrow slot I5.

A 'thin spring metal member I6 is arranged within the notchfH and slotl5 and having a narrow portion I'I atthe' upper end fitting loosely in the slot I5 with a laterally turned head portion I8 abutting the end of the bar I3 which is rigidly held'against the metalb'ar I I by the tubu- The 'springmember is widened out below the slot I5 and has an electrical contact lfl at its lower end. A recess I9 is formed in' the sloping face of the bar I3 andforms 'a continuation of the threaded hole into which the screw I is secured. A thin leather or other suitable flexible diaphragm cover extends over this recess l 9 under the spring member I1, and a strip of hard material 2|, such as wood, is cemented into the portion of the diaphragm which is pressed inwardly into the recess l9. Each bar I3 is provided with a bleed hole l3 to effect the return of the diaphragm to its normal position. 7 v v The lower s: the "l3 below the notched recess H is formed with a narrow slot 22 in the face adjacent to the recess which communicates with a transverse hole or slot 23, and an angular metal contact bar 24, nay-intone end extending into the hole 23, extends upwardly posite to the contact l8 carried by the spring arm, so that upon the spring arm b'e'in g swung outwardly by the operation of the dia hragm the cation is established between the outside atmosphere and the recesses l9, and atmospheric pressure enteringthrough the tubular screw into the recess l9 presses the diaphragm 20 outwardly so that the wood strip 2| flexes the spring metal contact, member (6, forcing it outwardly until the contact l8 engages the contact 24. The spring contact member I6 is in electrical contact with the metal bar I I connected through the rod 12 to the: source of electric energy, and when the contact 18 engages the'cont'ac't 24 a circuit is closed through the screw 25, contact member 22 and spring 34 to the contact post 2| which is connectcontact member l8 will engage the member. 1

and form an electrical contact therewith. silverto-silver contacts may be used. w

A screw 25 threaded into the lower end of the bar l3 clamps the member rigidly in position. A plurality of bars 28 Textend across the bottom of the casing and are secured upo'n angle flanges 21 and rest upon a leather or 'rubbe'i' sh'e'et 28'. similar to the sheet 4 which seals the top or the casing, and forms an air seal at bottom. Tn'ese bars are of similar width-to the'width-oftlre'bars l3 and are clamped. together 'by the longitudinal rods 29. The bars "I2, which aregrigldiy secured in the upper bars H and :3 extendcdownwardlyand terminate level withthe headiend's-of the c'ontaiit screws 25 and engage contacts amounted in the lower bars 26 and fofl'n electrical connections 'with the bar H which forms a'common connector to the spring contact members 16-.

The bars 26 are iomied-with princes 30 which are counter bored from the :lcwer'ends and are threaded at the lower extremity to receive the threaded contact posts 3|.

Within the orifices 30 are arranged sii'daole contact members '32 which are formed with flanged lowerendsslidably arranged in the counterbore' 33 and spacedlrom the'inneiends of the contact posts 3|. The members 32 are boredaxially from the lower end to a point-intermediate or their length and house-the compression sprihgs which engage the top surface of the "contact posts and urge the inembers 32 upward-1y into spring-engaging contact-with thescrews 25 on the bottom ends of the members l'3,- the end contacts 32' engaging the posts 12.

Electric leads-35 are connected to each or the posts 3| and lead to one of the contact terminals of the electric light bulbs 36 which are mounted in a common conductor 31. The conductor 31 and the conductor post I 2 connected with .the bar I I are both connected to a suitable source of electric power.

The casing enclosed between the sidewalls 1 and the bars 3 and .23 may be of any desirable length having any rdesirable number of contactsupporting bars andorificed bars jover which-the controlling perforated strip I .passeaandthe ends of this cabinet are suitably sealed so that a vacuum *chamber is formed therein. I

A tube connection 38 is arranged in a suitable position in one of the side panels i andis connected with a suitable Iorm 'of air pump to create ed to one o! the terminals of one of the lamps 36 inseam: or battery of lamps arranged as a display, or to whatever electric circuit is to be energiz'ed.

TR W'ill be understood that by arranging groupings of perforations I in the paper strip 1 any desirable grouping of contacts can be energized to display letters ,or characterson the face of the sign, as -illustrated in Figure "I, and the various letters ,or characters depicted on the (face of the display can be illuminated in such a manner as to stagger "or offset thelamps being lighted in a continuous procession of characters caused to travel across theiace of the sign by the successive energizing of the lamps as the perforated sheet over the tracker-bar formed by the perforated bars 3. I p

From this description it will be appreciated that the operating unit formed by the bar l3 with its .pnewnatically operating contact member may be assembled in associating with top bars 3 and-contact bars 26 in anyv desirable number, ten of such contact members being shown in the assembly illustrated in Figure 1 and co-operating withten horizontal rows of lamps illustrated in Figure 7, and any desirable number of groups those assembled units and bars can be arranged torcontmuethe illumination of the lamps along the length .of the sign.

An important feature in connection with the construction of a control apparatus, such as herein described, is that any desirable number of the individualcontrol units may be assembled in rows, andany number of the composite rows can be assembled lengthwise, and by disengaging themeans .for securing these assembled members in the casing, the entire assembly of pneumatically operated switch members may be removed and any individual switch member may then be removed from the assembly and replaced by simply removing the upperholding screw.

A modified structure is shown in Figure 8 in which each member I3 is provided with a tubular screw member I'll having a slotted upper end which is a .pushfit in the heavy contact bar II and registers with an orifice 8' in the top bar 3'. With such construction the members I3 are held in engagement'with-the contact by the slotted springconnectionassisted by the upward pressure of the bottom spring contact 32 and when the upper structure is removed from the casing any one of the members l3 may be removed by simply ulling them out of their socket connection.

in practice it is not found necessary to extend the sealing members 4 :and 28 beyond the supporting flanges, as the bars can 'be'made with verv smooth contact side faces sothat when the assembly of [bars is complete they may be clamped and bottom assembly bars 3 and 26, and also the individual unit bars l3, may be made of moulded plastics so that practically no machine Work is required in their construction.

' The device has been particularly described as applied to electric signs but it will be understood that it may be applied to many forms of devices where a plurality of electrical contacts are desired to be operated intermittently or in unison.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In an automatic control device for electric contacts, the combination with a movable perforated strip, of a vacuum chamber having a plurality of spaced openings through one wall thereof, individual pneumatic controlunits secured to said perforated Wall and each having a cavity therein connected to one of said wall openings and closed by a flexible diaphragm, said control units each having a flexible contact member operable by said diaphragm and a fixed contact, a

plurality of regularly spaced electric contacts secured in a wall of the vacuum chamber and arranged to engage the fixed contacts of said control units.

2. In an automatic control device for. electric contacts, the combination with a movable perforated strip, of a casing, a plurality of flat bars parallelly arranged in close engaging contact and forming one wall of said casing, said bars each having a plurality of spaced openings extending therethrough to the interior of the casing adapted to register with said strip perforations, a plurality of individual pneumatic control units secured to each of said bars each having a cavity therein connected with one of the bar openings and closed by a diaphragm, a flexible electric contact mounted on each of said control units adapted to be operated by the diaphragm, a fixed contact mounted on each of said control units, and a plurality of regularly spaced electric contacts secured in the wall of the vacuum chamber opposite to the wall formed by said parallel bars and individually engaging the fixed contact members of said control units and extending through said wall, and electrical devices individually electrically connected with said spaced electric contacts. 1

3. In an automatic control device for electric contacts, the combination with a movable perforated strip, of a casing, a plurality of flat bars parallelly arranged in close engaging contact and forming one wall of said casing, said bars each having a plurality of spaced openings extending therethrough to the interior of the casing adapted to register with said strip perforations, a plurality of individual pneumatically operated switch members mounted on the inward side of each of said bars and having operating communication with the perforations in said bars, a plurality of flat bars parallelly arranged in close engaging contact and forming a wall of said casing, a plurality of spring-actuated electric contacts mounted in each of said latter bars and forming individual electric'contacts for said switch members.

4. In an automatic control device for electric contacts, the combination with a movable perforated strip, of a casing, a plurality of flat bars parallelly arrangedin close engaging contact and forming one wall of said casing, said bars each having a plurality of spaced openings extending therethrough to the interior of the casing adapted to register with said strip perforations, a plurality of bars of insulating material arranged with one end abutting the inner face of each of said perforated bars and eachhaving a recess arranged longitudinally therein opening through the end abutting the bar and opening outwardly through one side wall, a tubular member registering with each orifice in said wall bars and extend-'- ing into the end of the recess of the abutting bar, a flexible diaphragm closing the side opening of each bar recess, a flexible spring contactmounted on each of the abutting bars and extending over the said diaphragm of each, a fixed contact rigidly mounted in the free end of each of said re.- cessed bars and extending adjacent and outside said spring contacts, a screw mounted in the end of each of said recessed bars and securing the fixed contact, and individual electric contact members secured in the wall of said casing adjacent the free ends of said recessed bars and individually engaging the projecting screws holding the fixed contacts.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which each of the recessed bars is formed with a recess in one side, the spring contact of each bar being secured at the end and extending into said side recess outside of the diaphragm closing the recess entering from the end, said bar being slotted to receive and hold the spring contact in alignment, the diaphragm being wrapped around the recessed side and adjacent sides of each bar, said bar being recessed to receiv the fixed contact.

6. In an automatic control device for electric contacts, the combination with a movable perforated strip, of a vacuum chamber having a plurality of spaced openings through one wall thereof, individual pneumatic control units secured to said perforated wall and each having a fixed and a movable electric contact, a plurality of electric contacts slidably mounted in a wall of said chamber and adapted to contact said pneumatic control units, an electrical contact post rigidly secured opposite each of said I slidable contacts, and coil compression springs inserted between said rigid and slidable contacts. I

7. In an automatic control device for electric I contacts, the combination with a movable perforated strip, of a casing open at opposite sides and having longitudinal flanges adjacent the edges, a plurality of bars rigidly clamped together and supported by said flanges, said bars having perforations to register with the perforations of said strip, means forming an air seal between said bars and the supporting flanges, individual pneumatic switch units secured to each of said bars and registering with the perforations therein, a plurality of bars clamped together and supported by other of said flanges to enclose said switch units in a vacuum chamber, means forming an air seal between the latter bars and the supporting flanges, and electric contacts mounted in thelatter bars and forming electrical connections with said switch members and having terminals on the outer sides of said bars.

8. In an automatic control device for electric signs, the combination with a movable perforated strip, of a casing having two opposite open sides, a plurality of bars of insulating material secured together to form a closure for one side of said casing each having a plurality of perforations, a metal bar arranged on the inner side of each of the aforesaid bars, tubular connections registering with the perforations of said insulating bars, recessed pneumatic switch members having orifices in the ends engaged by said tubular contacts and secured against said metal bar, flexible switch elements secured between said bars and the ends of said pneumatic switch members, fixed electrical contacts mounted on each of said pneumatic switch elements, screws securing said fixed contacts, posts rigidly securing the ends of said metal bars to the insulating perforated bars, insulating bars secured together and forming a closure for the opposite open side of said casing and spaced from the inward ends of said-pneumatic lwt'itch members, and flexible electrical contacts mounted on the latter bars and engaging the screws holding the fixed contacts of said pneumatic members.

WILLIAM L. S'I'UBBINS. 

